Academy Students Cruise to Victory

The Singapore Golf Association held the 1st National Ranking Game for 2012 over 3 rounds this week at Raffles Country Club's Lake Course. It was a successful week for our Academy students, with Marc Ong and Koh Sock Hwee both claiming very comfortable victories.

In the Men's division, 1st round leader Edgar Oh was unfortunately forced to withdraw after sustaining an injury. Edgar had opened up a 3-shot lead at the National Ranking Event after a terrific 1st round of 69 and it was therefore very disappointing to see him sidelined. We wish him a full and speedy recovery!


In Edgar's absence, fellow Academy student Marc Ong(left) took full advantage of the opportunity, putting together rounds of 74,71 before reeling off 6 birdies in his closing round of 2-under par 70. Marc's 54-hole total of 1-under par gave him a 5-stroke margin of victory in the Men's Division. With this win Marc will earn himself valuable World Amateur Ranking points and also climb his way near the top of the SGA Order of Merit!


In the Women's Division of the competition, it was Koh Sock Hwee(right)who won for the 2nd time in as many weeks....cruising to a huge 8-shot victory! Sock Hwee led by just one stroke heading into the 3rd and final round but ran away from the field after finishing with a solid 2-under par round of 70. Sock Hwee now has just under 2 weeks to prepare her game to compete against the world's best female professional golfers at the HSBC Women's Champions 2012.

Congratulations to Marc and Sock Hwee on their sucessful start to the year!!

Edgar Leads by 3 at Raffles

Academy junior Edgar Oh has started his 2012 season with a terrific 3-under par 69 to take a 3 stroke lead after the 1st round of the SGA National Ranking Event. Edgar made the turn at Raffles Country Club's Lake Course in even par before recording a bogey-free back nine of 3-under par 32.

Edgar has already tasted success at Raffles Country Club after claiming a brilliant victory in the 2010 Faldo Series played at the club's Palm Course. Amongst those players in the chasing pack is fellow Academy junior and last month's winner of the China Junior Open Championship Marc Ong who fired an opening round 74.

In the Ladies division, Koh Sock Hwee who triumphed in last week's HSBC Womens Champion's qualifier could not get a birdie putt to drop in her round of 76 and lies one stroke off the lead with 2 rounds to play.

Pampling Finishes with 67 in Arizona

A final round 67 at TPC Scottsdale has moved Rod Pampling up into a tie for 15th place at the conclusion of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Pampling fired earlier rounds of 67,71,71 to be the highest placed Australian in the US PGA Tour event. His stats for the week were very solid....Driving distance rank 10th - 312.1yds and Greens in regulation rank 4th - 76.4%. This marks a great start to the 2012 PGA Tour season for Rod after his 8th place finish in last weeks event.

Sock Hwee Wins HSBC Women's Champions Qualifier

22yr old Academy student and Singapore amateur golfer Koh Sock Hwee has overcome a 4-stroke deficit to claim a commendable victory in the HSBC Women's Champions Host Country Qualifier 2012. Sock Hwee has now earned herself a coveted place in the field comprising the world's best female professional golfers, including the top two on the Rolex Rankings, Yani Tseng and Suzann Pettersen.

After struggling a little with the putter on the opening day of qualifying, Sock Hwee entered the second and final round 4-strokes off the lead. Scoring proved very difficult for most of the field in the 2nd round of qualifying, and after a steady and solid day of ball-striking Sock Hwee nudged her way into the lead playing the final hole. Needing a par for victory on the difficult 18th at Tanah Merah's Garden Course, Sock Hwee calmly struck her approach shot over the water and safely onto the green. Facing the pressure of getting down in 2-putts for a spot in the prestigous US$1.4 million HSBC Women's event, Sock Hwee held her nerves and went one better... nailing the putt for birdie, an even par round of 72 and a 2-stroke victory!

This is a terrific achievement for the National University of Singapore student and will mark her maiden appearance on the LPGA Tour and Sock Hwee's second appearance in a major Professional tournament after earning an invitation to last years Finnair Masters on the Ladies European Tour.

This year will be the 5th edition of the HSBC Women's Champions event with Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie and young teen sensation Lexi Thompson heading the American challenge. Australia's 'Hall of Famer' Karrie Webb will be back to defend her title together with 2010 Champion and Japanese star Ai Miyazato. The HSBC Women's Champions 2012 will be played from 23-26 February at Tanah Merah Country Club, Singapore.


Congratulations to Sock Hwee on qualifying for this prestigous championship and we wish her all the very best for the tournament proper.

Top 10 for Pampling at Farmers Insurance Open

Rod Pampling has closed out his week at Torrey Pines with a 1-under par 71 to finish in a tie for 8th place at the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open. Pampling's 10-under par total was 6 shots back of eventual winner Brandt Snedeker. This is a great start to the season for Rod as he collected a cheque for US$162,000.

Pampling 9-under at Torrey Pines

Gary Edwin Tour Player Rod Pampling is 9-under through 3 rounds of the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open. After a brilliant bogey-free opening round of 8-under par 64 on the North Course, Pampling posted a disappointing 2nd round 75 on the South Course before bouncing back with a solid 3rd round of 68. Rod is currently in a tie for 11th place and in great shape to record a top 10 finish with one round to play.

Marc Cruises to Victory in China

After finishing runner-up last year, 16yr old Singaporean Marc Ong has gone one better, claiming a wire-to-wire victory at the 2012 HSBC China Junior Open.

Marc closed out the week with a round of 71, for an impressive 3-day total of 10-under par and a massive 9-stroke margin of victory. After final round birdies on both the 3rd and 9th holes, Marc all but secured the victory with a brilliant eagle on the par 5 10th hole to reach 13-under par for the championship....opening up a commanding lead. Marc momentarily stumbled with a triple-bogey on the par 4 12th hole but bounced back in style making a birdie 2 at the short 13th hole before cruising through the final 5 holes in even par to take the title.

Marc had a total of 19 birdies and 1 eagle for the tournament....an amazing effort for a junior golfer! Congrats on a great start to the year!!